Rene Russo reveals lifelong battle with bipolar disorder

After years in television and film, Rene Russo confessed to struggling with lifelong bipolar disorder.

«Bipolar medication,» the 60-year-old actress told Queen Latifah after the daytime talk show host asked her and fellow guest Jake Gyllenhaal to detail an obstacle they’ve had to overcome in their lives.

«Yea I pretty much hit a wall and then my mom said my whole childhood, ‘You’re stop and go,'» she confessed about battling the disorder since her early years. «That was it for me.»

Russo, who appears on «The Queen Latifah Show» in an episode set to air Oct. 30, was there promoting her new film «Nightcrawler» and ended up shocking the audience with her candid admission.

She also surprised her co-star Gyllenhaal, who responded to her confession saying, «Well, she’s got me beat.»

«I didn’t expect to say this,» she admitted about being so open with her personal struggles.

«Sorry you have to follow that,» she quipped, turning to Gyllenhaal.

Latifah asked Russo about how she came to «that realization and (decided to) act on it» by taking medication.

«I literally crashed, hit a wall and couldn’t get out of bed,» she explained. «I thought it was depression, but if you take antidepressants it speeds you up more.»

Because of the positive outcome Russo has found in her own personal journey by taking meds, she encourages others to consider doing the same.

«I have friends who don’t want to go on medication, and they are suffering,» the «Thomas Crown Affair» star said.

«For all the people that are having trouble and feel bad about taking medication, I have to say … It’s OK,» Russo continued. «It’s not easy, but you will make it through.»

«Thank you so much for sharing that,» Latifah said. «That can really help some people.»